


His Brother

by Kkenn6721



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Family Bonding, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-31
Updated: 2020-05-31
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:28:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24472798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kkenn6721/pseuds/Kkenn6721
Summary: This takes place a few days after the battle at the Ministry. Fred can't sleep, and neither can Harry. Brotherly bonding ensues.
Kudos: 12





	His Brother

Fred stared out of the open bed-hangings at the wall. He had been awake for so long that the darkness looked blue-gray, but no matter now he lay- no matter that the dorm was quiet for once- he couldn’t fall asleep.

He swung out of bed, half expecting to meet George’s understanding eyes, but his twin was tangled thickly in the blankets, asleep. Fred watched him for a moment, thinking of the Ministry and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and of Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, who had come back two days ago weary and ravaged and tear-stained. Ron and Hermione were still in the hospital wing. Who knew how long any of them could really be safe?

Yes, Fred thought grimly, finally tearing his gaze away from George, the war was no longer approaching- it was here.

He ambled down the stairs with the idea of sitting by the fire for a while, possibly drifting to sleep there in the common room, but when he reached it he found he was not alone. An untidy mop of black hair peeked above the couch cushion.

“Hey Harry,” he said quietly.

Harry jerked in surprise and wiped his cheeks on his sleeve, muttering, “Hey, Fred,” as he turned back to the fire.

Harry, who had lost and lost again, thought Fred. His parents, then Cedric Diggory, and now Sirius… Harry, who had fought so many times before, who was now facing an even greater fight.... Harry, who had gotten hurt so many times. It was no wonder he couldn’t sleep.

Fred sat by him, feeling slightly guilty for interrupting. When he looked at Harry, though, his face was sunken and pale, the bags under his eyes ominously dark, and the expression on his face was so deeply miserable that Fred was glad he’d come down after all. It occurred to him that with both Ron and Hermione in the hospital wing, Harry was alone most of the time, and an unpleasant, sinking sadness washed through him.

“Are you all right?” Fred asked, an uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.

Harry looked weary. “I just,” he started exhaustedly, “Really, really don’t want to go back to the Dursleys.”

For a moment, Fred felt like crying himself. “I know, mate,” he said thickly after a moment. “But we’ll get you out of there. Fast as we can. Promise.”

Harry half-smiled and shook his head. “Who knows what mad plan Dumbledore has for this summer,” he said.

“Screw Dumbledore,” Fred said fiercely, and meant it. “He can’t keep making you go back there, it’s cruel.”

Harry didn’t argue. Fred sat in silence next to him, hunched and brooding, his conscience twinging when Harry ran his hands bitterly across his face.

“Did you know that Pettigrew was one of the Death-Eaters there, at the Ministry?” Harry said unexpectedly from between his fingers.

“No,” Fred, said, watching Harry uncertainly.

“I just keep thinking-” Harry changed position, folding in on himself, eyes glassy and unseeing, “If Fudge had seen him, Sirius could be cleared! But then- then I remember…”

Fred felt slightly sick, his heart sinking into his stomach like an anvil. At a loss for words, he reached over hesitantly and gripped Harry’s shoulder. Harry twitched.

“If Sirius was cleared, I could’ve had a home with him,” Harry finished in a whisper, his voice brittle.

Fred squeezed his shoulder again firmly. “You have a home with us, Harry.”

The green eyes flickered up to meet his, desperately sad and searching, loss, fear, and hurt looming in their depths. There seemed to be a war going on behind them. The effect was that Harry looked very old indeed behind his glasses, but Fred met his gaze unflinchingly.

“You’re part of our family,” Fred said resolutely, and it seemed to be what Harry needed to hear, for his expression broke into one of relief and unmistakable love.

“Thanks,” Harry said. They stayed seated quietly together on the old couch, basking in the fire, and Fred vowed that whatever it was to come- for certainly the war was beginning, and of all people Harry Potter could least escape its effects- he would do everything in his power to protect his brother.


End file.
